How has Japan been contributing promotion of creating freedom of association and collective bargaining in Asian countries ?

Abstract

This article has a purpose to judge whether Japan can contribute to promote freedom of association and collective bargaining in Asian countries from 3 viewpoints: role of government, labour unions and employers. Government role can be researched through ODA. Activities of Japan Labour Foundation (JILAF), industrial-level labour unions and individual enterprise-wise unions are examined as example of labour side. Nippon Keidanren International Cooperation Center (NICC) and individual multinational companies are checked to judge their roles. As a result, Japanese ODA does not directly to promote freedom of association, but to educate public officers, union leaders and managers to make policy to promote freedom of association. Projects of JILAF and NICC have possibility to promote cooperative industrial relations which would lead not only to promote freedom of association, but also to attain Japanese national interests. Nevertheless individual enterprise-wise unions have played small role to promote freedom of association because they have little contact to workers in Asian subcontract companies. It will be hoped that industrial unions and national labour center has continued to promote freedom of association in the future.